Soothing sounds in time of war
There are expectations going back to 1948 that musicians turn up to provide relief
Laid-back Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Württemburg sonatas (ECM)
Rozsa’s regret
Miklos Rozsa: Orchestral works (Capriccio)
Stravinsky’s aching quality
Stravinsky, Bartok, Martinu: Works for violin and orchestra (BIS)
Masterful pianism
Bartok, Janacek, Szymanowski (Warner)
Superficial pleasures
A te, Puccini (Signum)
Bruckner’s delicate thunder
Anton Bruckner: 7th symphony (BR Klassik)
Modernism for the many
Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra, Partita &c (Ondine)
Album of the year
The best of an inspiringly musical 2023
What’s missing in Bradley Cooper’s Maestro
The film should not have ignored the political and musical context to Bernstein’s life